Ahhh Monday, how we love you so.
There’s an important week ahead for Arsenal as we entertain Porto at the Grove in the Champions League tomorrow night. We should be confident after the last couple of results although the Portugeezers are a difficult side to break down.
Thierry Henry has been speaking about the club’s European ambitions and that revealed that they want to go one better than last season for the manager. He says:
The Champions League is the last thing left. The desire here this season is amazing. We all want it very much and I would like the players to buy him something to celebrate 10 years. Maybe the Champions League and title will do?
It would certainly beat a pair of Argyle socks and a box of fudge. In previous seasons you always felt there was, for some reason, a lack of belief in Europe and with the greatest of respect we had better teams that didn’t go as far as the team last season. Now that they’ve gotten over that little block there’s no reason why we can’t do what we did last season again.
William Gallas is fast becoming a favourite after his move from Cuntski and Arsene Wenger has hailed him as a ‘winner’, saying:
He has the mentality of a winner, to produce it when it’s needed, no more than that.
His performances since he joined have been top class and I wonder if Arsene Wenger sees him at left back for the future. With Kolo, Djourou and Senderos we’ve got quality options in the middle of the defence and although it’s not his natural or best position he’s by far the best option we have on the left. Obviously a fully fit Gael Clichy would give the manager something to think about but a fully fit Gael Clichy is not something we’ve seen for a long time and even if he does get fit he’s got some way to go to convince people he can stay fit.
Meanwhile Gallas himself has been talking about how he has to move house because he’s got a 90 minute drive up the M25 each day to get to training. He also says every time his parents come to see him he scores. Sadly they live in Guadeloupe which is just a little more than a 90 minute drive up the M25.
Julio Baptista has said again he wants to stay at Arsenal long term and not just for the loan period. With José Antonio Reyes having taken David Beckham’s starting position on the right for Real Madrid it looks good for him there and they won’t be sending him back at the end of the season.
And that’s about the size of it. Team news and a preview of the Porto game tomorrow.
